Having long or short labia minora does not make a woman less of a woman— Dr. Ethan

For generations, a practice quietly passed from one generation of women to another has been presented as part of growing into womanhood. Known by some as ukudonsa amalepe, the traditional practice of elongating the labia minora has long been surrounded by cultural beliefs about femininity, marriage, sexual pleasure and for some, childbirth. But as the […]

For generations, a practice quietly passed from one generation of women to another has been presented as part of growing into womanhood.

Known by some as ukudonsa amalepe, the traditional practice of elongating the labia minora has long been surrounded by cultural beliefs about femininity, marriage, sexual pleasure and for some, childbirth.

But as the practice continues to be discussed among women and families, a different voice is raising questions about what happens when tradition meets medicine.

Doctor Mikel Ethan has warned women against pulling the labia minora, arguing that the practice can expose women to a number of health complications.

His concerns have brought renewed attention to a practice that, for some women, is considered a normal part of traditional teachings.

Dr Ethan argues that the length of a woman’s labia does not determine her worth or femininity.

“Having long or short labia minora does not make a woman less of a woman,” he said.

For Dr Ethan, the decision to pull the labia should also not be based on the belief that it will make a woman keep her partner.

“The man you are pulling it for  will still leave you and go for someone who has not pulled the labia minora,” he said.

Beyond relationships and cultural expectations, Dr Ethan raised concerns about the physical effects of pulling the labia, which he believes could leave the vaginal area more exposed and potentially vulnerable to infection.

“The labias become swollen, leaving the private vaginal [area] they cover open, making them vulnerable to diseases to enter,” he said.

Dr Ethan linked the swelling he described to concerns about recurrent fungal and yeast infections as well as urinary tract infections.

” Even women who would not ordinarily experience such infections could begin experiencing them after pulling the labia,” he said.

Dr Ethan also warned about pain and bruising that may result from the practice, saying repeated pulling could leave the tissue weak and vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections.

“When there’s that and bruises,women  are very weak to having STIs,” he said.

The concerns, however, go beyond everyday discomfort, according to the doctor.

Dr Ethan particularly raised concerns about women who have undergone the practice later experiencing complications during childbirth.

“During delivery, since those things are very thin in nature, it starts to tear for someone who has pulled it,” he said.

He further raised concerns about the treatment of pain during surgical procedures, saying that women who have undergone the practice may face particular difficulties.

But perhaps his greatest concern is what could happen if a woman experiences significant bleeding during childbirth.

“The most dangerous part is that, if a woman who has pulled the labia minora has bled a lot during delivery, the labia will make it difficult for the doctor to know where the bleeding is or where there’s a deep cut where the bleeding is coming from,” he said.

These concerns highlight the need for women to receive accurate medical information before making decisions about practices involving their bodies.

But Dr Ethan believes tradition should not remove a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.

He has called on older women, who often play an important role in passing on traditional practices, to allow girls and women to make their own choices rather than making them feel ashamed for choosing not to elongate their labia.

“Elderly women are much into tradition, they should let the girl child have a free will to choose whether they want or not,” he said.

Dr Ethan said girls should not be made to feel bad for choosing not to pull their labia.

Yet the conversation around ukudonsa amalepe is not simply about medicine.

It is also about culture.

For Mildred Ching’anda, the story of labia elongation is deeply rooted in culture.

According to Ching’anda, labia elongation was traditionally encouraged by elders for various cultural and marital reasons.

She said,” in the past, many women were married to men whose work kept them away from home for long periods, particularly miners and soldiers”.

She further explained that some elders encouraged women to elongate their labia because they believed the practice could help reduce sexual desire while their husbands were away for long periods.

The practice was also associated with sexual pleasure.

“Some communities believed that elongated labia could help hold or stimulate the penis during sexual intercourse and make sex more pleasurable”, she said.

She also noted that there was a belief that the labia served as “curtains” over the vaginal opening.

The belief is captured in the saying that “there is no house that doesn’t have curtains,” referring to the idea that a woman should have elongated labia.

For generations, girls have received teachings about womanhood from mothers, grandmothers and other older women.

Such teachings have often been passed down without being questioned, particularly where they are viewed as part of preserving cultural identity.

For some women, therefore, rejecting the practice may feel like rejecting an important part of their heritage.

For Ching’anda, however, labia elongation should not be something imposed on either partner.

“It should be a mutual decision between a husband and wife if they both want the practice,” she said.

While one side draws from cultural knowledge passed down through generations, the other raises questions about health, safety and bodily autonomy.

At the heart of the debate is therefore a question that goes beyond the physical practice itself: who gets to decide what happens to a woman’s body?

Ching’anda’s position that the practice should be based on mutual agreement and Dr Ethan’s call for women to have freedom of choice, meet at an important point of  consent.

The challenge for today’s generation may therefore not be whether culture or medicine should completely replace the other, but whether cultural practices can be discussed openly enough for women to make informed and voluntary choices.

Ukudonsa amalepe may have been passed down as a lesson in womanhood, marriage and sexuality.

But as more conversations emerge around women’s health and bodily autonomy, the practice is now facing a different question:

Is tradition enough, or should every woman be free to decide for herself?